Video content distribution system and video content distribution reservation method

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a content distribution reservation method includes causing a server to distribute program distribution data including video content and preview content of other video content to a terminal device as the program distribution data, causing the terminal device to reproduce the program distribution data the program distribution data, causing the terminal device detect whether a viewing reservation event is generated or not, causing the terminal device to transmit a reservation command of the other video content to the server, causing the server to register the other video content in viewing reservation information, causing the terminal device to request distribution list data for displaying a list of video contents, causing the server to generate distribution list data, and transmits the distribution list data to the terminal device, and causing the terminal device to display a distribution list on a display device based on the distribution list data.

1 . A video content distribution system configured to communicate between a terminal device and a server and to distribute program distribution data comprising a video content from the server to the terminal device, wherein
 the server comprises:   a distributor configured to distribute program data comprising a first video content and a preview content of a second video content to the terminal device, when a distribution request for a distributable video content is received from the terminal device;   a registration module configured to register the second video content in viewing reservation information, when the server receives a viewing reservation command for the second video content from the terminal device; and   a distribution list data module configured to generate distribution list data for displaying a distribution list comprising information about video contents currently distributable, information about video contents stored in the viewing reservation information, and distribution information about the video contents, and configured to transmit the distribution list data to the terminal device when the server receives a distribution list data request from the terminal device, and   the terminal device comprises:   a request module configured to send a request of distribution list data for displaying a list of video contents to the server;   a display controller configured to display a distribution list on a display based on the distribution list data received in response to the request;   a distribution event detection module configured to detect a distribution event for viewing an available video content for viewing in the distribution list;   a distribution request transmitter configured to transmit a distribution request to the server for a video content for the detected distribution event, when the distribution event is detected;   a playback module configured to play back distributed program data from the server in response to the distribution request;   a viewing reservation event detection module configured to detect a viewing reservation event while the terminal device is playing back the preview content in the distributed program data; and   a viewing reservation command transmitter configured to transmit the viewing reservation command of the second video content to the server, when the terminal device detects the viewing reservation event.   
   
   
       2 . The video content distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the server is configured to generate the distribution list data comprising a distribution period of video content if the server receives a recording reservation command from the terminal device, and to transmit the distribution list data to the terminal device, and   the terminal device further comprises:   a recording reservation event detection module configured to detect a recording reservation event while the terminal device is playing back the preview content;   a recording reservation command transmitter configured to transmit a recording reservation command of the second video content to the server, when the recording reservation event is detected; and   a recorder configured to refer to the distribution list data, to send a request to the server to distribute video content for the transmitted recording reservation command if the video content is currently available for distribution, and to record the distributed video content.   
   
   
       3 . A video content distribution system configured to communicate between a terminal device and a server, and to distribute program data comprising a video content from the server to the terminal device, wherein
 the server comprises:   a reservation list data module configured to generate content reservation list data for displaying a content reservation list comprising distribution period information about video contents stored in viewing reservation information and configured to transmit the content reservation list data to the terminal device, when the server receives the viewing reservation information from the terminal device; and   a distributor configured to distribute program data comprising a first video content and a preview content of a second video content to the terminal device, when a distribution request for a distributable video content is received from the terminal device, and   the terminal device comprises:   a display controller configured to display a reservation list from the reservation list data on a display;   a distribution event detection module configured to detect a distribution event for viewing an available video content for viewing in the reservation list;   a distribution request transmitter configured to transmit a distribution request to the server for a video content for the detected distribution event, when the distribution event is detected;   a playback module configured to play back distributed program data from the server on the basis of the distribution request;   a viewing reservation event detection module configured to detect a viewing reservation event while the terminal device is playing back the preview content in the distributed program data;   a viewing reservation information registration module configured to register the second video content to viewing reservation information, when the viewing reservation event is detected; and   a viewing reservation information transmitter configured to transmit the viewing reservation information to the terminal device.   
   
   
       4 . The video content distribution system of  claim 3 , wherein
 the server further comprises:   a recording reservation list data module configured to generate recording reservation list data comprising distribution period information about video contents stored in recording reservation information and configured to transmit the recording reservation list data, when the server receives the recording reservation information from the terminal device, and   the terminal device further comprises:   a recording reservation event detection module configured to detect a recording reservation event while the terminal device is playing back the preview content;   a recording reservation information registration module configured to register the second video content to recording reservation information, when the recording reservation event is detected;   a recording reservation information transmitter configured to transmit the recording reservation information to the server;   a search module configured to refer to the recording reservation list data and to search for video content distributed from the server; and   a recorder configured to transmit a distribution request of the searched video content to the server, and to record the video content distributed from the server.   
   
   
       5 . A video content distribution reservation method for distributing program data comprising video content from a server to a terminal device according to communication between the terminal device and the server, the method comprising:
 receiving a distribution request for a distributable video content at the server from the terminal device;   distributing program data comprising a video content and a preview content of a second video content from the server to the terminal device as the program data in response to the distribution request;   playing back the program data distributed from the server in response to the distribution request at the terminal device;   detecting whether a viewing reservation event is generated at the terminal device while the terminal device is playing back the preview content in the program data distributed from the server;   transmitting a viewing reservation command of the second video content from the terminal device to the server, when the viewing reservation event is detected;   receiving the viewing reservation command for the second video content at the server from the terminal device;   registering the second video content in viewing reservation information of the server, in response to the viewing reservation command for the second video content;   sending request distribution list data for displaying a list of video contents from the terminal device to the server,   generating distribution list data for displaying a distribution list comprising information about video contents currently distributable, information about video contents stored in the viewing reservation information, and distribution information about the video contents at the server;   transmitting the distribution list data from the server to the terminal device when the server receives a distribution list data request from the terminal device; and   displaying a distribution list based on the distribution list data in response to the request on a display of the terminal device.   
   
   
       6 . The video content distribution reservation method of  claim 5 , further comprises:
 detecting at the user terminal device whether a recording reservation event is generated while the terminal device is playing back the preview content;   transmitting a recording reservation command of the second video content from the terminal device to the server, when the terminal device detects the recording reservation event;   registering information about the second video content to recording reservation information at the server, when the server receives a recording reservation command of the second video content from the terminal device;   generating the distribution list data comprising information about a distribution period related to a video content for the transmitted recording reservation command at the server;   transmitting the distribution list data from the server to the terminal device;   referring to the distribution list data at the terminal device;   sending requests from the terminal device to the server to distribute video content for the transmitted recording reservation command when the video content is currently distributable; and   recording the distributed video content at the terminal device.   
   
   
       7 . A terminal apparatus configured to communicate with a server, to receive a program data comprising a video content from the server, and to record and play back the video content, the terminal apparatus comprising:
 a request module configured to send a request for distribution list data comprising a list of video contents to the server;   a display controller configured to display a distribution list on a display based on distribution list data received in response to the request;   a distribution event detection module configured to detect a distribution event for viewing an available video content for viewing in the distribution list;   a distribution request transmitter configured to transmit a distribution request to the server for a video content for the detected distribution event, when the distribution event is detected;   a playback module configured to play back distributed program data from the server in response to the distribution request;   a viewing reservation event detection module configured to detect a viewing reservation event while the terminal device is playing back the preview content in the distributed program data; and   a viewing reservation command transmitter configured to transmit the viewing reservation command of the second video content to the server, when the terminal device detects the viewing reservation event.